Students with the University of Houston’s Honors Engineering Program (HEP) recently participated in a Habitat for Humanity build project earlier this month in northeast Houston. In the joint event with KBR, HEP students helped construct a home in the Milby Park subdivision, alongside KBR volunteers.
For Ethan Pedneau, a mechanical engineering senior, the experience was both fun and physically demanding. “My friends and I picked a wall, grabbed a few ladders and started hammering nails in to secure a plywood wall covering,” he said. “We worked until our dominant arm couldn't hammer much more, and then switched to our other arm! Afterwards we were provided lunch and graph paper by KBR, and headed back to campus. It was especially nice to get to hang out with my friends while we worked.”
Civil engineering major Nabiha Hossain enjoyed the opportunity to network with established engineers, and as a result, feels competent in beginning career pursuits. “Especially as a freshman, I find the corporate engineering world intimidating,” said Nabiha. “The build [with KBR] brought everything down to earth. This will give me a little more confidence when I start pursuing interviews for internships with prestigious companies. I will walk into the interview feeling like I am capable of working with individuals in these companies, because the engineers from the KBR build made me feel like I am. The more empowered you feel, the better you will carry out the task.”
The Honors Engineering Program is jointly offered by the Cullen College of Engineering and The Honors College as a program that cultivates community among honors students pursuing an engineering degree, and provides an enhanced academic experience through project-based courses, mentorship opportunities and visits with industry partners.